


Life as we know it

by johngirl



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Muggle Life, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Switching, Tags May Change, i am American not a Brit, sorry if my slang is incorrect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-22 13:09:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11380833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/johngirl/pseuds/johngirl
Summary: This is a muggle AU. After the murder of his parents, Harry goes and lives with his aunt and uncle until age 11. Sirius then gains custody over his godson. However,  Sirius has problems of his own. Will Sirius and Harry be able to move on from the past that haunts them ? And how will they over come the challenges that lay ahead of them.This story is on HIATUS. Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in this story.... but sadly I don’t have time write because of school. And when I do I get writers block. Though I have not given up on this story! This story has been stuck in my head for a while and I finish on day! I will try to update as soon as I am able!





	Life as we know it

“Wake up! Wake up, You stupid boy.” Harry’s eyes shot open on the other side of the door, as the reverb of his Aunt’s voice echoed through “his” tiny room. The bangs on his door brought him out of his sleepy haze. “Wake up! Now.”  
“Yes, Aunt Petunia.” He called out rubbing the last bit of sleep from his eyes, he attempted a stretch but the confides of the cupboard restrain his hands from reaching high enough. With a sigh, barely audible in case his Aunt still waited on the other side of the door, Harry reached for his glasses on the shelve before him. “Today boy! The breakfast needs to be made and you know how Vernon hates to be kept waiting.” Harry creaked the door open coming face to face with his Petunia’s nasty scowl.  
 “Yes Aunt Petunia, I will get right to it.” The young boy watched as his Aunt stalked off and retreated up the stairs. It was times like these when was just him and his Aunt he wonders if his mother would treat him so coldly. Or perhaps she would treat him the way his Aunt treated her son Dudley? Maybe then Harry would have clothes that fit or a room of appropriate size.  One where he could stretch out his arms and turn over in his bed without smacking his head on the wall or door. 

Finally taking a much need stretch Harry stumbled into the kitchen. He got the bacon going and the toast. He got started on the eggs. Uncle Vernon’s were the first he prepared. He did not wish to make his Uncle wait on his food and be late for work. Again. Harry could still feel the dull ache upon his cheek from last week mess up.  It happens from time to time. Harry would accidentally, by means that he could not explain, mess up and get in horrendous trouble. The bacon was still too limp or to done. The toast was burnt so bad that it could not be eaten. Of course anytime Harry was punished for this was by going days without so much as a crumb.  
Harry constantly found himself look out the window hoping someone would come and rescue him.  
 His daydreamed about it constantly. That someone would come pounding on the door and tell the Dursley that Harry was coming to live with them. When he was younger he had wished that his parents would show up, tell off his and Aunt and Uncle for treating him so poorly and his cousin for bullying him both at home and school. That dream ended every time his Aunt or Uncle would say: “Your parents just had to get themselves killed and leave us with you!” Vernon would then mumble about how his parents carried on with the wrong sort, or How that James had no family on his side to take the boy.  
Shaking his head, before his mind could travel further down the road of how life could be, Harry finished up making the breakfast.  
   
***

“Hello, Mr. Black.  Dr. Acres will be with you in a moment.”  Sirius smiled at the plump receptionist in front of him. Her curly tawny hair fell down her back and danced as on her red blazer. Her round cheeks were rosy against her ebony skin.  “Thank you, Bethany.”

Old sullied trainers smacked against tile and a pair of dark -frayed blue jeans swished over toned, tan, legs as the weathered man walked the short distance to the group of chairs in the corner of the waiting area. Once seated he rocked nervously in the faux leather chair, whitelist beating the heels of his hands together.  
‘Breathe. You have worked hard for this Black. If not today it will be soon.’  Sirius remind himself of this fact, for the ninetieth time in past five minutes. Over the few years, he had been working on himself. He had a promise to fulfill, a promise to two of his closest friends.  It seemed only yesterday that the letter arrived.  
He had just had come home at 2 am from a night at the pub. He could remember tripping over something making him spiral down. Falling with only the mail box to cling onto, in a drunken stupor from the cab. As he had clung to the mail box the contents fell to the ground. He had laughed like a mad man; the woman and man with him help him collect them before they all stumble over each over each other into Sirius’s home. To this day he still could not remember either of their faces or names. Though he was sure that they were together…. If he thought hard enough on that night, he might recall the man’s name was Rufus?  
It wasn’t until the next morning after having some greasy bacon and black coffee that he actually read the letter. Surprised to see that was from Remus. Even more surprising was how strong the wave of guilt come after all this time. Guilt from the past and from the events night before. If he closed his eyes he could still see the letter in his mind.  
   
***  
   
Dear Sirius Black,  
   
I know it has been some time since we have seen or talked, and I know this letter may surprise you. I pray you will read it before you throw it away. I know you still probably hate me if so the feelings are pretty much mutual. However, recent events have made it necessity for me to reach out to you. As you very well know James and Lilly have been murdered. As you also know James and Lilly have had a son, Harry- of which you have been made the Godfather of. Sirius as an old friend- yes I still consider you a friend despite our past- and for Lilly and James, I pleaded with to adopted the child. Yes, I know that his aunt, Lilly’s sister, and uncle have taken Harry in, but they don’t treat him right Sirius. Only once have they allowed me to see him. Harry was five at the time. I had tried for many years prior but I was never permitted to see him. Anyway, what I saw- of my very short visit- was not good. When I first saw the boy a few things stood out to me. First, he looks so much like James it almost like seeing a ghost. Second, he has Lilly’s eyes. While these things made me smile the rest of my observations did not. The third I noticed was that he was fragile. At first, I thought it way my eyes playing a trick on me, for Harry, was wearing baggy clothes. However, when looked in his eyes, his face, I could tell that he had not been properly feed. The fourth and probably most alarming was that, after talking to him for a minute he sneezed and I reached in my pocket for a tissue and then I proceeded to hand it to him he flinched- and coward back as if expecting to be hit.  
Sirius, for years I have looked into every way to try to gain custody over Harry. Even if I did manage to show that he was and is abused the court would most likely put him in foster care. And if I did gain custody of him, well it would take me a lot longer to do so than it would for you. By then it may be too late. I know that you still suffer from PTSD. But I urge you to consider adopting Harry. If not for Harry, then do for James and Lily.  
Write soon,  
Remus Lupine.  
   
   
p.s. If you do this Sirius you won't be alone. We will all help both before and after.  
   
***  
   
Five years later, and he still remembered it word for word. That letter, James, Lily, Harry, and Remus were the reasons he found himself here today. Even after all this time he still had a soft place in his heart for Remus. As much as he hated the man he still cared for him. He probably always would.  
After returning from doing three tours Sirius had not been the man he had once been. He had seen and done things that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Still, he could never forget his past. He could never forget what James, Remus, Lilly, and the others meant to him, or he to them. So he worked on himself. He got sober and started therapy. He also found a job at a newspaper called the Daily Prophet. It was really more a gossiped column. One that Nymphadora had arranged for him.  According to the slightly younger woman She had a friend that worked there and managed to set up an interview. While it wasn’t the most interesting job to the soon to be 35-year-old, mostly shorter papers and fetched coffee, it kept the lights. So really Sirius no reason to complain.  
    
He wasn’t fair to her, and he knew it. To Nymphadora, or Tonks as she preferred to be called, he means. She always had his back even when he tried to push her away or when, back in his teens, his majority of their family turned their backs on him she stood by his side. He loved her more like a sister than a cousin, really. The only thing that irked him was her off-and-on-again relationship with Remus. He mostly for the larger part ignored it, but he still smiled a little with the fact they were currently off; that and the fact if she and Remus ended up together it would be someone in his family, someone he liked even. One that would keep him, Sirius, in their lives. At the end the day he supposed Remus, or Tonks for that matter, could do a lot worst.  
   
   Sirius was not really one for a label in which case he did not see himself as bi, straight, pan, etc. If he to name his sexual orientation, he would answer none. He liked who he liked sometimes he like the qualities of a male sometimes in a female.  He really couldn't care less about the body type of his partner. He cares more about the type of person they were underneath the skin.  Though sometimes late at night, when sleep never came, his mind would wonder if it would matter if he knew all the things he never admitted out loud would change a thing. Things like there had really not been anyone else since then. Other than the occasional one night stand he had never found someone that sparked enough interest to make a life with. In all his life he had only found that in one person. One he had never, and probably never would, got over fully. One he stupidly let slip through his fingers. He had tried to find someone else, and a time or two he thought he had found someone that he could see himself sharing his life with. However, something always went wrong in the end.  Although he had not done so in a while, have a -one –night- stand. If he was going to be a guardian to a young boy, he would need to make a stable environment for both of them.  
   
   
Changing his ways had not been easy, but he had some of his old friends back to help him find his way. Plus, Blacks’ keep their word. He had promise James to fill his shoes as best he could if need had ever arisen, and now that it had Sirius was not going to let James or Lilly down. ‘I may not be the father James would have been, but I will be better those good-for-nothings Harry is living with now.’    
   
In the time it took Sirius to work on himself, Remus had stayed true to his word as well. He both helps Sirius get a good therapist while he, Remus, Tonks, and Alvastor, or as they called him Mad-eye, handled the legal business. Mad-eye had gone undercover to get evidence of the Dursley's abuse toward Harry. Which had been proven itself no easy task since that bitch and her lard arse of a husband kept everything, including Harry himself, behind closed, locked doors.  Never the less they had a case, one that would win of that Mad-eye assured them. Now all that stood between raven haired boy living with the raven haired man was…..  
“Mr. Black,” Bethany’s voice rang out and broke his thoughts. “Dr. Acres will see you now.” Standing slowly on uneasy legs, the shagged, lanky, man stood. Walked the few feet of the beige room into the office of Dr. Arce’s.  
   
“Good afternoon, Mr. Black.” The balding man before him indicated for him to sit. The sleeve of Dr. Acres white dress shirt moved up his porcelain arm as he bent it to do so. The older man did not sit behind his desk, as was custom with Sirius’ other visits. Instead, he sat in an expensive green chair. Next to it was a table with a similar chair on the table opposite side. After both men where seated slowly he took in the other man’s appearance. Dr. Acres wore, as usual: tan trousers, a black belt, black dress shoes and socks, and a white dress shirt- sans tie or jacket. After his first or so visit Sirius had become accustomed to the doctor’s quirks and found them comforting. They made the man seem more friendly and inviting, while still keeping a professional feel to their meetings.  
   
“Forgive me for the wait, but if you recall you asked in the last visit if I would testify in court on your behalf to gain custody of your Godson.” Silenced filled the room as Dr. Acers leafed through his notes. “Ah, yes a young Harry Potter.” He looked up Sirius for cornification, to which the Sirius curtly nodded.  “Will you?” a shaky male voice asked.  
“Yes. Mr. Black I will testify that while under my care I have seen make personal life improvement and that you seem to be fit to raise your godson.” The grey haired man responded.  
The air got caught in Sirius throat and tears made his vision blur. Quickly he blinked and coughed before responding, “Thank you!” The two men talked some more before the younger one left the office, giving Bethany and beaming smile.  
   
***  
“Mr. Black, would you please state your relation to Harry James Potter and why you wish to gain custody of him. As well you waited till the boy was eleven years of age to try to gain said custody.”  The lawyer that the bitch and lard arse had hired stood before a well groomed Sirius. She stood tall in grey three-inch heels, grey penciled skirt, and blue blouse. Her light brown hair was pinned up in a bun. Her sharp hazel eye’s surveyed over him with a hawk-like pension.  
   
“Yes, as mentioned, my best friend and his wife died almost ten years ago. While I was on tour. His only living relatives, his mother’s sister and her husband, gain custody of him then. When I returned I was made aware of my friends’ passing and of the living arrangements of my Godson- Harry. At the time I thought it was for the best for Harry to stay with them. After three tours I was in no way fit to care for a child. For four years I dealt with my PTSD on my own. It was not until an" the younger man in the room paused for a breath and collected himself. “an old friend reached out to me, almost six years ago, with the news that he believed that Harry was being abused by his aunt and uncle I made the decision to get help in the hopes I could gain custody of the boy. Within that time, I went to therapy, found a job, and found decent living. Currently, I am still in therapy and work five days a week at the Daily Prophet. This job pays enough to pay the bills, put food on the table, as well provide Harry’s schooling should I gain custody. I have also been sober for the past 3 years and seven months and been able, with help of my therapist Dr. Acres, to derail many of my symptoms of my PTSD.”  
   
“And do you have proof of this ledge abused.” She smiled in triumphant fashion. It had surprised them when the Dursley choose to fight to keep Harry. Mad- eye, the only one not taken by surprised, had said it had more to do with their reputation than to do with Harry. Sirius gave a smile in return while sparing a glance at her clients. Both of whom were dressed in similar attire as she.  
“Yes. My old friend, the one I mentioned before, hired an undercover detective. In the time that I sought help our detective Moody collected very substantial evidence of abuse Harry acquired while living with his aunt and uncle. If you wish to see said evidence, we will gladly present it to you and Judge Brown.” Each word whipped more and more of her smile away, at the same time Vernon face turned almost blood red.  
   
A deep voiced answered before the lawyer could. “Please present your evidence.” Judge Brown singled to Tonks and Alvastor to come forward. Each of them had stuffed folders in their hands as they approached the bench. Alvastor wearing a tux twin to his own and Tonks wore a simple red dress. He knew that both they felt as comfortable in clothes as he did.  
   
   
***  
    
Pacing back and forth the long marble corridor, Tonks tried not think about if they lost the case today. She tried not to think of an eleven-year-old boy being scared of his shadow or being locked away in a tiny room hardly big enough for a doll. Judge Brown had ordered a recess so he could review the testimonies, on both sides, and evidence of the case. It had now been forty- five minutes and she could not fight this uneasy. This was why she became a lawyer. To protect the innocent and give the mute a voice. And while she had not truly known James or Lilly, and even now she did not know Harry, she knew Sirius and Remus. She hated how Remus had gone in a state of mourning when he had finally seen Harry for the first time. She and He had been dating then.  It been one of their longest times together and she was happy. Things were a bit vanilla, but they were happy.  
   
Then Remus came back to their then apartment after his visit. Living together had made since they both worked in the area, but that night she could feel that Remus just had rather lived by himself. She could still see the haunted look in his eye. She still remembered how he had been just out of her reach.  A few nights later they broke it off again. Remus had claimed he need to focus on Harry and he would not be able to give her what she needs at that time. A week later he moved out of, what was now her apartment. Over the years, after she persuaded Remus to allow her to help him, they had gotten back together twice. Neither lasting long. It never really bothered her really. She never planned on getting serious with anyone. She prefers to be focused on her career than relationships.  
   
Although facts may be true, they were still friends and she cared when he was hurt. So she vowed to do everything she could to get that little boy out of that horrid place.  
   
   
“Black vs. Dursley” a heavy set uniformed man called from the room they had evacuated almost an hour ago. After everyone had filed back in and gotten seated the Judge ask for Sirius and Harry’s aunt and uncle to rise.  Under the desk Tonks, absent-mindedly, picked at her nail polish.  
   
“In the matter of Black vs Dursley. The court awards full custody to Mr. Black. In one week Harry James Potter and all his belongs are to move into Mr. Blacks home and if Harry is to have any further relationship with his aunt or uncle is to be up to Mr. Black. Case dismissed.”  
   
Sighing in relief, Tonks made eye contact with her cousin. He had the biggest smile on his face. They won! Harry was free of his torment. Harry was coming home. Finally!

**Author's Note:**

> Ideas/suggestion and betas are welcome.


End file.
